The collection of images and other biometric data of individuals, including children, is common place. In many cases images or other biometric data of individuals may be captured without the individual's knowledge or authorization. The captured images may subsequently be displayed to public, such as on Facebook pages of friends and/or on other Internet sites, often without the consent of the individual whose picture is being displayed. For example, a child, under parental guidance, may have intentionally avoided posting any personal images on the Internet but may be captured in a photo taken at a party by a friend or other individual who then displays the captured image.
Other cases where images may be captured and used without an individual's knowledge include reality TV and/or promotion videos. For example, stores or restaurants may capture images of an individual on camera without the individual's knowledge and then use the images for a variety of purposes. The use of images captured at a restaurant for promotional or other reasons may result in an individual's image, without the individual's consent, being displayed or publicly used in advertising material.
Unfortunately, while individuals may control what images they post to web sites or authorize to be used for various purposes, they often have little control over what images other people post. Furthermore websites which allow people to post images which may include pictures from parties, etc. currently lack practical ways of policing the display and/or use of images of individuals who would prefer not to have pictures of themselves shown in public for security, privacy or other reasons.
While well known and/or wealthy individuals may desire to avoid having images of their children shown on the Internet for security reasons relating to potential kidnapping and ransom concerns, many individuals feel they have a right to control the use of their image out of privacy concerns and/or for other reasons. Web sites and other content users may desire to avoid the unauthorized use of images of individuals because of legal concerns or out of a respect for an individual's privacy.
Given privacy and legal concerns, companies in many cases would prefer to avoid the unauthorized use of video and/or images of private individuals for commercial purposes. In addition, some social sites may seek to show respect for an individual's privacy and may not want to display an individual's image, particularly images of individual children, without the consent of the individual or the individual's guardian.
While Facial Recognition Technology (FRT) as well as other biometric recognition techniques have made many advancements and continue to improve at a rapid rate, such techniques are also starting to be utilized by big box stores and analytic companies in a way that is invading people's privacy. Thus, while technical advancements in the capture and/or use of biometric data has the potential to provide many benefits, lack of control over use and/or distribution of such information poses serious consumer privacy challenges.
In view of the above, it should be appreciated that there is a need for methods and/or apparatus which would allow individuals to indicate a desire to maintain their privacy and restrict the use of images and/or biometric data in a public way, such as the display of images of the individual on a website, and allow for others to be made aware of the individual's desire for privacy, without divulging details or the identity of the individual to a person or entity seeking to use an image of the individual.